Retirement years can often be declining years. However, I prefer to look at them as the advent of another fulfilling phase of life -- full of creativity, active engagement and challenge. I feel like I've gotten "my second wind". And this is the verbal journey.

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Enjoying Good Times With Old Friends

Our California friends of some 46 years, Ed and Darlene Wall, stopped by this past week for a couple of days while visiting the Pacific Northwest. They are both natives of the Bremerton area, and my wife and I are mostly Californians. So it seems a bit ironic that they now come to their old haunting grounds to see us.

Whenever Ed and I have a chance to be together, going fishing is high on the priority list. Of course you have to know that the odds of being able to CATCH a fish by just dropping in on a lake, are pretty long. Except for the “Koskela Guide Service.”

We started out at Blackmans Lake, located smack dab in the middle of the city of Snohomish, but had no luck at all. We then headed for Flowing Lake, about ten miles north-northeast, and it wasn’t too long before Ed was fighting a scrappy, young, fat rainbow trout (pic above). We didn’t have a whole lot of time, as we all wanted to drive up to Snoqualmie Falls in the afternoon.

I'm sure Ed is thankful for a competent guide service. To my chagrin, he almost missed the fish while watching a mother duck train her ducklings after I had provided the location, pole, line, bait and may have even baited his hook. Apparently, his mind wanders easily.

Above are Darlene, Ed and Kay Lynne whom I snapped at the Falls overlook. At this time of year, the water is really gushing as you can see.

Good times with old friends is a commodity you can’t purchase. It has to be developed. There were lots of laughs as we recalled several of the more humorous times we’ve shared in the past. Ask Ed sometime about “slippery rock at Donner Lake.” My side hurts from laughing when I think about it.

Quotable...

About This Blogger

I've been married to my wonderful wife, Kay Lynne, for 51 years. She is the backbone of our relationship. We have two adult, married sons and five grandchildren - four granddaughters and a grandson.
DISCLAIMER/WARNING: Any theological or philosophical discussions that I post are done so strictly from a LAYMAN's point of view. I have only enough knowledge in these disciplines to be intellectually hazardous. However, that will usually not prevent me from publishing my ignorance.